KABC Los Angeles reported that the election cost LA County $28 Million. Was It worth it??

[diva77]

wish I could find link on net, but I definitely heard it reported on the air last nite

[JDPriestly]

1. That's like asking whether torture works? Those are questions you

just don't need to ask because higher values than cost or efficacy are at issue. Who cares how much elections cost. Democratic government is the very basis of our society. Who cares whether torture works. Torture is the means through which bullies subjugate all around them, not just the person being tortured. Torture is therefore incompatible with democracy. Yes to elections no matter the cost. No to torture no matter the gain.

[diva77]

2. in theory, I agree with you. However, this election was an abuse of the

California initiative process. And with elections being run by private corporations now, it is in the best interest of profit rather than democracy to hold more and more elections.

And with computers being used in the election process no election is verifiable unless paper ballots are handmarked by the voters in private and then publicly handcounted at the precinct level. So I wouldn't even classify what happened yesterday as a "real" election.

[robinlynne]

3. I wouldn't call what we have democratic government..... We vote on cards with

numbers, no words, candidtaes' names, whihc have 711 possible combinations. Those cards are read by scanners, whose software is a "trade secret". Th fed into a computer which tabualtes the votes. Why on earth would this tiny election cost 28 million? We had under 300,000 votes cast here yesterday in LA COunty.

[diva77]

4. agreed!

[robinlynne]

5. Hi Diva. n/t

[roody]

7. The legislature put these measures to the voters

because they are unwilling to do their jobs. It has nothing to do with democracy.

[bemildred]

6. Sending a big F**k You to Ahnuld and Sacramento was worth it.

I don't know if it was worth what the election cost. But they did the special election BECAUSE it means low turnout and that theoretically makes it easier to fudge the result. But not this time.

[proud patriot]

8. can Counties sue the state for recourse at all ?

:shrug:

[diva77]

9. what would you propose they sue for? once the initiative is approved by

the SOS to qualify for the ballot, not sure what recourse there is...:shrug: